The Syrian rebels overran Raqqah, capturing several high-ranking prisoners, including the provincial governor. Many residents supported the rebels, but when the airstrikes began, they packed in a hurry and fled, believing it was safer to make a dash for the border than stay at home.
The shells started crashing into residential neighborhoods Tuesday, says Rima, the only name she gave. She was standing at the border gate with Turkey waiting for her father to get across from the Syrian side.
"Raqqah is so bad, so bad. Everything is bombing. It's a disaster," she said.
When a shell landed this week in an apartment nearby, killing a neighbor, the family decided it was time to go. They grabbed their most important belongings, leaving everything else behind.
Rima was with her sister, whose eyes were red from crying. Raqqah had been a safe place, where many displaced Syrians had come for shelter — tripling the population. But now Rima and her family are displaced, too, and had no idea where they would sleep on this night.
"We don't know, we don't know anything," she said.
People at the border turned to watch a cloud of smoke rising in the distance: another airstrike, at least 25 so far, according to activists in Raqqah.
Abdul Karim Ayteh arrived here in a van with 18 family members. Some of his neighbors didn't make it.
"So many people want to come here, but they can't because there's no car, no [gasoline], and some of them don't have a passport," he said.
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